Routine and natural cleansing and detoxifying the body truly leads to optimal overall health. There are so many naturally cleansing agents available to us that can easily be incorporated into our daily food intake:Beets, lemons, ginger, cilantro, mushrooms and apply cider vinegar are a few to begin with, all of which have wide ranges of health benefits.

Beets Beets play an essential role in cleansing and purifying the blood. This in turn, boosts liver function and nutrient production in the body. Beets are very high in antioxidants and contain important nutrients. One of which is pectin, a soluble form of fiber that delivers cleansing properties to the body. These fibers latch on to toxins in the body and help flush them out instead of being stored in the liver. Because of this, is it recommended to eat beets whole or sliced instead of juicing them so that the fibers are still intact in order to perform this cleansing effect. Other important nutrients in beets are folate, iron, betaine, betalains, betacyanin, and betanin. When beets are juiced rather than eaten whole there are still beneficial health effects that come from it. Beet juice allows betaine to stay intact. Betaine is a substance that helps the liver cells get rid of toxins which helps heal the liver. Although it is not directly linked to detox, when the liver functions more optimally, the rest of the systems function better and a higher cleansing ability of the body will be achieved. Beets have also been shown to decrease homocysteine levels, improve stomach acid production, and decrease the risk of cancer.

Lemons Lemon has been known for its therapeutic benefits in strengthening the immune system, cleansing the stomach, and purifying the blood. They are also a key in liver cleansing. Lemons are very high in antioxidants and vitamin C, both which boost energy and digestion through the production of more enzymes in the liver. Lemons have an alkalizing effect on the body which helps neutralize toxins and excrete waste. This also correlates to inducing digestive function. When a digestive system is functioning optimally, a higher cleansing effect throughout the body is achieved. The high content of vitamin C along with flavonoids in lemons also helps fight the production of free radicals which have been known to cause cancer. Along with vitamin C, lemons also contain Vitamin B6, A, E, folate, niacin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, copper, calcium, iron magnesium, potassium, zinc and phosphorus; all of which are very important nutrients to the body. Another cleansing effect lemons have are in the bowels. Lemons increase peristalsis which helps eliminate waste through regularity. This relates to its importance of inducing optimal digestive function.

Ginger Ginger has been shown to have a very wide range of health benefits. Consumption of ginger initiates relaxation of organ systems including the bowels and digestive system, leading to regularity of excreting toxins. It also acts as a natural energy boost by managing glucose levels in the body. Ginger helps the body absorb nutrients and improves circulation both of which create a flushing effect of toxins out of the body. It gets the blood in the body flowing leading to more energy and less fatigue.

Cilantro Cilantro is an excellent cleansing agent and best known for helping to remove toxic metals from the body. The chemical compounds in cilantro bind to toxic metals in the body and help loosen them from tissues. In the same way, cilantro stimulates the release of mercury from the brain and central nervous system. Through scientific studies, cilantro has been shown to change the electric charge on intracellular deposits of heavy metals to a neutral state. This allows the tight bond of heavy metals to body tissues to become relaxed, releasing them so they can be flushed from the body. This has been shown to decrease the risk of dementia in older adults. In one serving of cilantro, there is 1,250 iu of Vitamin A and 62 mug of vitamin K. This is important because the body needs Vitamin K for essential bone health as well as allowing blood clots to form. It helps in prevention of arthritis and osteoporosis. The intake of Vitamin A is important because it plays an essential role in vision and immune and inflammatory functions. Cognitive benefits have also been shown from the consumption of cilantro. Cilantro protects memory by suppressing an enzyme that breaks down acetylcholine which is an essential neurotransmitter in the brain.

Mushroom Although not typically thought of as a cleansing food, mushrooms hold a variety of detoxifying health benefits. Mushrooms contain selenium which is an essential mineral in liver enzyme function and it helps the body detoxify from some cancer causing compounds. Selenium also contributes to bone strength and durability along with the strength of teeth, hair, and nails. The antioxidant properties of selenium help the body get rid of free radicals invading our precious systems. Vitamin D is also present in mushrooms which has been shown to stop the growth of cancer cells as well. The presence of vitamin D in mushrooms also helps with nutrient absorption of calcium and phosphorus. Along with selenium and vitamin D, mushrooms contain riboflavin, folate, thiamine, pantothenic acid, niacin, potassium, copper, iron, and phosphorus, many of which are not present in many other vegetables and therefore hard to obtain through diet. Copper available through mushrooms help regulate and stimulate the absorption of nutrients from other foods especially iron. After absorption of iron, the copper from mushrooms helps facilitate the iron to be released from storage spots in the body. Copper helps make red blood cells which increase oxygen throughout the body.

Apple Cider Vinegar Apple cider vinegar has a multitude of health benefits and can be very widely used. It contains acetic, malice, lactic acids as well as many amino acids which all have antiseptic properties. This helps destroy the bad bacteria and promote growth of good bacteria. These acids have the ability to bind to toxins in the body and help eliminate them. Apple cider vinegar is also rich in natural minerals, vitamins, and enzymes which all have strong detoxing properties. Apple cider vinegar is a great detoxifying agent through its ability to balance the bodies pH. It helps the body maintain a healthy alkaline pH level which leads to a natural boost in energy. As part of balancing the bodies pH, an overall detoxification of the body occurs. Apple cider vinegar helps stimulate cardiovascular circulation which initiates detoxification of the liver. Apple cider vinegar has also been known to be very cleansing for the lymphatic system. It helps break up mucus throughout the body which cleanses the lymph nodes.

Cabbage Although cabbage may not seem like much, it has a wide array of health benefits. Cabbage as a cleansing food works to detoxify the blood and remove toxins from the body. Cabbage is very high in vitamin C as well as sulphur, both which help remove free radicals and uric acid, which are the main causes of arthritis and some skin diseases. Cabbage is also very rich in antioxidants, vitamin K and important minerals such as calcium, magnesium, potassium. The potassium present in cabbage acts as a vasodilator, opening up blood vessels, allowing the flow of blood to increase and flush out toxins more quickly.

Cabbage contains compounds called glucosinolates and isothiocyanates, both which have high anti-cancer abilities. They work to remove carcinogens, kill cancer cells, as well as stop them from growing. They even help the body excrete excess hormones allowing the body to become more balanced. The compounds present in cabbage have also been shown to activate a wide variety of enzymes which increase the process and occurrence of the bodies detoxification system.